It's Par-Tea Time! -- Diane's California Home Kitchen --

This e-newsletter was first published February 19, 2004.

Welcome to my kitchen and to my Tea Party! Let me take your coat and show you to the dining room. Please find your name card at the table, sit and make yourself comfortable. Visit with the other guests while I pour the champagne and serve the first course. I am so happy you could join me today!

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Recipe Request

Diane,

I am looking for a GOOD banana nut bread recipe. I'm on a mission. I've tried several --- one is o.k. others I simply don't like. Tried one from the Moosewood cookbook ----- I usually like things from there ----- it sounded interesting and I ended up not liking it. Maybe you or your readers have some thoughts.

Thanks, Renee
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The Menu

Mixed Berries (Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries) Dusted with Powdered Sugar
Served with a light pink toned champagne (Gloria Ferrer's Brut Rose)

You could serve Warm Crumpets (store bought) Topped with Butter and Honey next. I am not serving them today, but they are a nice addition to the menu.

Assorted Tea Sandwiches:
Cucumber and Dill Hearts
Italian Tempters
Ron's Salmon Pinwheels
Egg Salad with Dill
Turkey and Cranberry
Cream Cheese, Pineapple and Toasted Pecan
Served with Tea

Scones
Cherry Orange
Date Pecan
Served with lemon curd, butter, Devonshire cream, and marionberry jam.
Served with tea

Assorted Mini French Pastries
(Purchased from a favorite local French bakery)
Lemon Tarts
Mixed fruit Tarts
Neopolatins
Eclairs
Pecan Tarts
Served with tea
(Instead of the French pastries you can serve a variety of tea breads -- such as the Lemon Cake recipe posted a few weeks back -- scones, and bake mini pastry shells in small molds and simply fill them with things such as lemon curd, strawberry jam, chocolate mousse, chopped strawberries and kiwi topped with whipped cream. The selections are endless really.)

Tea's Being Served Today:
Decaf Earl Grey
Decaf Black Currant
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Tips/Ideas

** I serve decaf tea since we all tend to drink a lot during the leisurely served courses as we chat. It is nice to choose 1 to 3 of your guests (depending how big a group and how many tea pots you have on the table) as "tea pourers" to take care of refilling tea cups during the tea. One on each end and one from the middle of the table works well.

** I use these homemade decorated sugar cubes on my tea table as well as give each of my guests a small clear topped gold box of them, that is tied with pretty ribbon to take home with them:

Decorative Sugar Cubes

Mini sugar flowers (found in cake/candy supply shops), in colors of your choice
Sugar Cubes
Powdered sugar
Water

To make sugar glue: for every tablespoon of powdered sugar, mix in 1/4 teaspoon of water to form a paste.

Dab a very small dot of sugar glue on top of sugar cube. Gently press a sugar flower on top of glue. Set aside and let dry.

** I sometimes have David place a colored piece of paper under one or two of the plates (so I do not even know who has them) . We look after the tea is ending and the guests who have them are given a potted miniature rose plant, or something similar to take home with them.

**I always stack our CD player with classical music (Mendelshohn is a favorite of mine) and have the music playing softly in the background during the tea.
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Featured Recipes

Cucumber and Dill Hearts, makes 4 to 8, depending on size of cookie cutter (I make 4)

1/4 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 slices white bread
pepper
chopped fresh dill or dried dill

Peel cucumber, then cut into paper-thin slices. Place in a colander and sprinkle with vinegar and salt. Leave 30 minutes.

Pat cucumber slices dry on paper towels. (Make sure they are dried well.) Butter both sides of bread. Arrange cucumber slices on 2 bread slices. Season with pepper and dill to taste. Cover with remaining bread slices and press together.

Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 2 to 4 from each sandwich. Arrange on a serving plate and garnish with dill sprigs if desired.
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Italian Tempters

Packaged sliced sourdough bread
butter, softened
pesto (store bought works fine)
Roma tomatoes
salt and pepper
mozzarella cheese
basil leaves for garnish

Spread slices of bread with butter. Using a shot glass, cut out circles from each slice of bread.

Spread a little pesto over each buttered round. Cut off ends of each tomato, then make medium thick slices, placing 1 slice of tomato on each round.

Cut mozzarella into very small cubes. Arrange cubes (about 4 or 5) on tomato slices and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
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Ron's Salmon Pinwheels, makes 14
This is a specialty of my brother Ron's and is always a hit. They make a beautiful presentation as well.

1 large unsliced white sandwich loaf
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 bunches watercress
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
watercress to garnish if desired

Cut crusts from loaf of bread. Cut 2 (2-inch-thick) lengthwise slices from loaf. Using a rolling pin, roll each slice of bread firmly to flatten.

Spread butter over slices of bread. Remove stems from watercress and arrange leaves over buttered sides of slices. Arrange slices of smoked salmon over the watercress. Season with pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Roll up each slice, like a jellyroll, starting from a short side. Wrap rolls tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove plastic wrap and cut each roll into 7 pinwheels. Arrange on a serving plate, garnished with watercress if desired.
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Egg Salad with Dill

Make egg salad using only mayonnaise, pepper and dried or fresh minced dill to taste. Spread wheat and white bread slices with softened butter after removing the crusts. Spread egg salad with dill on the white bread slices; top with the wheat slices. Cut the sandwiches into 3 long "fingers," arranging them on a platter alternating white and wheat sides up.
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Turkey with Cranberry

Using white, wheat or a combination of both breads, cut off crusts and butter bread slices. Spread jellied cranberry sauce on half the bread slices; top with deli sliced turkey and lettuce. Top with remaining bread slices; cut into triangles and arrange on a serving platter.

Alternative: Use deli sliced ham in place of the turkey and apricot jam in place of the jellied cranberry sauce.
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Cream Cheese, Pineapple, and Toasted Pecan Sandwiches

Soften 1 package of cream cheese; mix in crushed pineapple and toasted pecans (or walnuts) to taste. Butter white, wheat or a combination of both breads with crusts removed, and spread with softened butter. Spread filling on half the bread slices, top with rest of bread slices, and cut sandwiches into 4 squares. Arrange on a serving platter.

Alternative: Make cream cheese pastry shells and fill with Pineapple Pecan filling. Cream cheese pastry:
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sifted flour

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add flour and mix well. Chill for 1 hour. Take ball size pieces and press into bottom and sides of mini muffin pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool; fill. (These can be baked and frozen ahead of time before filling. Defrost before filling and serving.)
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Cherry Orange Scones, makes 16 scones

6 tablespoons cold butter
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
3/4 cup dried cherries
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in orange rind and dried cherries. Add egg and milk; mix until mixture clings together and forms soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead gently about 15 times. Divide dough into fourths and pat into squares about 1/2-inch-thick. Cut each square diagonally twice to form 4 triangles. Place on lightly greased baking sheet (or freeze for future baking). Bake about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange rind to desired consistency. Spoon glaze over hot scones; let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
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Date Pecan Scones, makes 8 scones

4 tablespoons cold butter
2 1/3 cups flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cut butter into flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in dates and pecans. Add egg, cream, and vanilla; mix until mixture clings together and forms soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead gently about 30 seconds. Pat dough into 3/4-inch-thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush scones lightly with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden
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Quick Weeknight Recipe

Chicken Sandwiches with Melted Cheese, makes 4 sandwiches

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 slices whole-wheat or white bread
1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (2 cups)
4 ounces blue cheese, Gruyere cheese or Brie
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread, then lay 4 of them on a greased baking sheet, butter-side down.

Divide the chicken among the 4 slices and top with some of the cheese and apple slices. Place remaining bread slices on top, butter-side up. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn and bake until crispy and golden, about 10 minutes more. Cut in half and serve immediately.
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Until next time, have fun in your kitchen!
Buon Appetito!
Diane